Apparatus for geophysical exploration



June 4, 1940. ,r. ZUSCHLAG 2,202,385

mauve FOR GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION Filed bet. 21. 1937 Patented June 4, new

Theodor Zuschlaa, West Englewood, N. 5., assign r'toflllans T. F. Lundberg, Montreal, Quebec, one. a Y

Application ()ctobcr 2i, 1937, Serial No. 20,222?

8 Claims. (Cl. Isl-iii?) This invention relates to apparatus for geophysical exploration, and has for an object to provide for a systematic investigation of the distribution of vibratory waves artificially created in the surface and sub-surface of the ground.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus which is relatively simple in construction and easily handled, while being accurate and eflicientin operation;

Another object is to provide an apparatus that produces informative and accurate results with a small number of steps or operations that are susceptible of ready accomplishment by one skilled in this art.

V A further object consists in providing certain improvements in the form. construction and arrangem ent of the parts, and in the steps fol lowed, whereby the above named and other 010- m glects may effectively be obtained. I In. the art of geophysical exploration that is followed mainlyfor predetermining the location and character or substances lying beneath the surface of the ground, it is a well-known fact that the distribution oiwaves, artificially created in it the ground by a suitable mechanical oscillator, is

affected by variations in the speed of propagation or travel of such waves within or through the different media in the ground through which they pass; This speed oi' propagation of the Q waves depends upon the coefiicient of elasticity of the various ground media, and thus it mayserve as a criterion enabling the detection of the presence ofmedia of varying elasticity, which detection is accomplished by noting the devia- 35 tions the speed of-propagation causes'within a mechanical wave pattern or outline created, by

a source of artificial vibrations.

Previously'it has been customary to investi-' gate such wave patterns by means oi oscillographic records together with appropriate sounding devices. In devising the present invention, 'it has been myendeavor to simplify the apparatus used tbobtain thedesired results and,

"to that end, I' have-developed.- simple compensating and indicating apparatus that enables theinvestigation of such vibratory wave patterns in a manner analogous to that followed in the art of electrical prospecting.

According to-"my invention the desired information as to the characten of the groundmedia is obtained by investigating the phase and amplitude relationship of the mechanical waves created by a source ofyibratory energy; which investigation calls for thepresence of a compensator of such design as to make possible a ing to my invention is shown in the accompany- 5 'ing drawing in which the reference numeral l denotes a suitable mechanical oscillator, preferably of the opposed eccentric or vibrating mem brane type driven from. an. appropriate source of energy. The vibratory waves generated by the 10 oscillator I travel through the ground and are collected by a pair of electrically sht'iilar pickups of the microphone, crystal, condenser, or electro-magnetic coil type; which pickups are marked. 2 and 3, and are preferably located on a l substantially straight line projecting from oscillator I.

The-outputs or pickups 2, 3 are connected to the primaries of two similar matching transformers a, 5. The secondary oftr i orrner t is connected in series with apotenth a phase condenser E which latter is shunted by a second potentiometer 55; while the secondary of transformer 5 is connected in series 11 a. fixed resistor 8 and a phase condenser iii nu Zch latter is shunted by a. center tapped resistor ll. The two condensers 'l' and iii are constructed to have similar electrical-values, and the same is true with respect to the electric resistances of potentiometer t and resistor 9, as also with re spect to potentiometer t and resistor i.

. The slider of potentiometer 8 am he center of the fixed resistor Mare connect .othe input of an amplifying device it, t output of t which latter is arranged to he cured by means of an indicating meter lscon red therecompleted by connecting the slider of potentiometer 6 to the end of resistor c which latter, as A previously stated, is connected to the secondary so of transformer 5. V

' In the operation of this'apparatus constituting part ofmy invention, the oscillator f r d. pickups 2, 3 are placed upon the gro be explored in substantially the relatic up shown i5 and described, and the oscillator is in motwo currents is the same, then it is evident that, by shifting the slider of potentiometer 8, the resulting current flow in the circuit i2, 8, 5, a, it may be brought to zero, provided the slider oi potentiometer 8 is positioned at the center there- R l v is proportionate to the ratio oi. the amplitude oi the mechanical waves collected at pickups 2 and 3. v 4 v In actual practice it will be found that the above-named assumption as to .sameness in phase of, the two currents flowing in the output circuits of the transformers 4 and 5, is not likely to be realized. This is due to the fact that the diglance from oscillator I to pickup 3 issubst tially greater than the distance from-oscillator I to pickup-2 so-that, because of its limited speed of travel, a wave generated at-oscillator I will arrive. at pickup 3 later than at pickup 2; and, likewise, the resultant delay in time of arrival at pickup 3 as compared with the time of circuits 4, 6, 1 and 5, 9,

1 input of illustration, that the resistance arrival atpickup-Z, causes a corresponding delay in phase of the electric currents induced in It. Phase diflerence of this type between the-said currents will cause a current flow in the indicator circuit l2, H, 9, 6, 8, and will correspondingly deflect the needle of indicating meter l3. However, such deflection can be reduced to zero by an appropriate adjustment of the sliders on potentiometers 8 and 6.

I1- it be assumed in this connection, for purposes I values of potentiometer 8 and resistor II are high as compared with the reactances of condensers i and it), then the phase difference between'the output currents of transformers d an and consequently the delay in the time of arrival of the mechani-= calwaves at pickup 3 as compared with the time oiiarrival at pickup 2, is proportionate to the value of the resistance betweenthe center point of potentiometer tend the final position to which its slider has been moved in eliminating the deflection ofmeter needle l3 last mentioned.

vl Jnder certain circumstances that may be en countered, the performance of the apparatus may be improved by tuning the two circuits 4, 6, 1 and 5, 9, III to the frequency of the mechanical waves, artificially created at oscillator l,by thetintroduction of two similar condensers in series with the said circuits. 'By'proceeding in this way, it is possible to reduce the eilect of other -mecliani-.-

- cal vibrations not related to the waves set up by oscillator I. Such condensers, suitably located, are denoted by the reference numerals It, 15. 1

. In using the above described-apparatus accord- 5 ing to my invention, the mechanical wave pattern created by oscillator l'is investigated in the man ner above described by measuring the amplitude ratio and the phase difierence between pickups 2' and 3, the determination'being made by reading the 'potentiometers. Pickup 2 is then preferably moved to the location oLpickup 3, and the latter is moved to a new location-approximately the same distance from its previous location as the be included in the claims.

' produced mechanical vibrations without the employment of arecording device involving manual original space between pickups 2 and I, and Pleh erably in the same line. In this new locationof the pickups, their amplitude ratio and phase dilference are again determined in the same. way as before. points and the same investigation repeated.

By systematically proceeding in this manner p the investigations may be carried out along predetermined lines or profiles which, in turn, can be plotted or charted to reflect the thus measured amplitude ratios and phase differences. By combining theplots of several systematically distributed profiles or lines, preferably arranged in radiating or parallel directions, patterns showing the distribution of equiamplitudeand equiphase values may readily be constructed.

As previously mentioned, the'iorm or arrangewithin the various 'mediatraversed by them. It is well known that the resultant arrangement of these patterns is particularly aflectedbythe re- The pickups may then be moved to other,

ment oi these patterns is based upon the speed 01' propagation or travel of the mechanical wavesfioction and refraction phenomena, which generally take place whenever the speed of trav or propagation changes because of'diilerencesin two media. consideration or these phenomena,

therefore, is important when interpreting the results of investigations carried out as above described. l

It will he understood that various changes may be resorted to in the form, construction, arrangemerit and material of the several constituting the apparatus liereinabove described, and

in the steps followed in carrying out the method, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not intend to be limited to the details herein set forth except as they may What I claim is: I 1. Apparatus of the character described comprising, two pickups adapted to change contimk ous mechanical vibrations into continuous elecprocedure for obtaining its indication. 2. Apparatus of the character described comprising, two pickups adapted tochange continu ous mechanical vibrations into continuous electrical oscillationsa plurality of similar electrical resistances in circuit with said pickups, similar condensers electrically connected so as to shunt one said resistance in each circuit, and a'direct reading and. balance indicating device electrically connected to the said circuits for measuring the amplitude and phase relation of. the artificially produced mechanical vibrations withoht the emprocedure for obtaining its indication. I I

3. Apparatus of the character described comprisinaitvvo pickupsadapted 'to'change continuous ployment of a recording device involving manual mechanical vibrations into continuous electrical oscillations, a plurality of similar electrical resistances incircuit with said pickups, similar-phase shifting devices electrically connected td'one said resistance in each circuit, and a direct reading and balance indicating. deviceelectrically con:

nested in series to the said circuits tcrineasuring the amplitude and phase relation of the artiflciah 75 $202,886 ly produced mechanical vibrations without thev employment of a recording .device involving manual procedure for obtaining its indication.

' 4. Apparatus of the character described comprising, two pickups adapted to change continuous mechanical vibrations into continuous electrical oscillations, a plurality of similar electrical resistances in circuit with said pickups, similar condensers electrically connected so as to shunt one said resistance in each circuit, and a direct reading and balance indicating device electrically connected in series to the said circuits for measuring the amplitude and phase relation of the artificially produced mechanical vibrations without the employment of a recording device involving manual procedure for obtaining its indication.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising, two pickups adapted to changecontinuous mechanical vibrations into continuous electrical oscillations, a plurality of similar electrical resistances, including resistances of the potentiometer type, in circuit with said pickups, similar phase shifting devices electrically connected to one said resistance in each circuit, and a direct 7 reading and balance indicating device electrically connected to the said circuits for measuring the amplitude and phase relation of the artificially produced mechanical vibrations without the employment of a recording device involving manual procedure for obtaining its indication.

6. Apparatus of thecharacter described comprising, two pickups adapted to change continuous mechanical vibrations into continuous electrical oscillations, a plurality of similarelectrical resistances, including resistances of the potentiometer type, in circuit with said pickups, similar condensers electrically connected so as to shunt uring the amplitude and phase relation of the one said resistance in each circuit, and a direct reading and balance indicating device electrically connected to the said circuits for measuring the amplitude and phase relation of the artificially produced mechanical vibrations wlthout'the em- 5 ployment of a recording deviceinvolving manual procedure for obtaining its indication.

' 7. Apparatus of the character described comprising, two pickups adapted to change continuous mechanical vibrations into continuous elecl trical oscillations, a plurality of similar electrical resistances, including resistances of the potentiometer type, in circuit with said pickups, similar phase shifting devices electrically connected to one said resistance in each circuit, and a direct 1 reading and balance indicating device electrically connected in series to the said circuits for measartificially produced mechanical vibrations without the employment of a recording device involving manual procedure for obtaining its indication.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising, two pickups adapted to change continuous mechanical vibrations into continuous electrical oscillations, a plurality of similar electrical resistances, including resistances of the potentiometer type, in circuit with said pickups, similar condensers electrically connected so as to shunt one said resistance in each circuit, and a direct A reading and balance indicating device electrically connected in series to the said circuits for measuring the amplitude and phase relation of the artificially produced mechanical vibrations without the employment of a recording device involving manual procedure for obtaining its indication.

THTEODOR ZUSCHLAG 

